1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to chests for storing products at a temperature different from the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere.
2. Background Art
Typically, prior art portable coolers, also referred to as ice chests, typically comprise a single chamber where ice, in the form of the ice cubes or the like, is placed in the chamber in direct contact with items to be cooled. A disadvantage of such portable coolers is that food items that are not tightly sealed become wet as the ice melts, often spoiling the food items. Furthermore, a relatively large amount of ice is often required to cool a relatively few items since the ice tends to collect on the bottom of the ice chest, not adequately covering the items to be cooled. A further disadvantage of prior art coolers where in ice is stored in a lower area of the container is that as some melting occurs, lower layers of ice cubes in contact with the water tend to melt quicker, thereby reducing the cooling effect of ice cubes not in contact with water.
These problems have been recognized in the prior art and various configurations of ice chests have been used for separating food from melting ice. However, cooling units designed to solve this problem generally have been constructed in an elaborate manner and are often clumsy to transport and too expensive for casual users, for example, for family picnics and the like.
These problems and disadvantages of the prior art are overcome in accordance with the present invention by providing a portable cooler with a separate, water tight food storage compartment that is easily accessible and an ice storage area immediately above the food storage area where ice is retained separate from food items.
Advantageously, in accordance with the present invention ice is retained in an area where it is more effective for cooling of the products within the food storage area.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, spacial areas are provided adjacent opposing sides of the food storage container and water resulting from the melting of ice within the ice storage area is drained to an area removed from the ice cubes.
Advantageously, less ice is required to cool the upper portion of the food storage compartment, since the ice is retained in an optimum cooling location.